We today face the risk of software patents being approved in the EU because not enough parliamentary members will be showing up to vote. Due to this it is important for those of us who oppose software patents to make sure EU parliament members see the damage software patents cause, so they realize it is important to be there to vote providing the needed absolute majority. But sending out a clear message is also important for the process of patent reform in the US and other places who have fallen into the trap of introducing them.

Let's not fool ourselves, there's not really enough democracy in EU as it stands today. EU could be called a bureaucracy rather than a democracy. The problem is that the incentive for its organization is top down, from European governments and global corporations towards the people, rather than a genuine interest of European citizens.

There's lot of potential though and you can't scrap it (if you live in EU that is); the only way this is going to work long term is by strengthening people's decision power over the system and more importantly, fleshing out the European identity (what unites us culturally). (It's also possible that the whole EU idea is a sad joke set up by global multi-$$$ corporations in their own interest; this is how it mostly works today, anyway).

As for UK, it's “decorative” monarchy isn't the problem; the problem is that it can't decide (or rather that is has decided?) whether acting as a USA satellite (and picking the crumbles of the table) works better for it rather than fully participating in the EU project. Most EU countries except the core ones face similar dilemmas anyway.

As for software pantents... ok they suck, but if you're reading this you knew that already.